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Derek Hastings

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Mar, 2020

Stories (7)

Comments

Library

2 Followers

0 Following

7 Stories

163 karma pts

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Spying on the Singing Frog

Submitted to Contest #295

Bennie Marshall walked through the door in the back of his balloon animal booth and walked the short path to his trailer. He had a thirsty idea of a cold beer, a shot of Stoly, and some peace and quiet. His thirst came from the fact he hadn't had a break since the Midway had opened in the morning. The woman Bennie had hired to allow him to take breaks disappeared that morning. Bennie thought to himself as he closed the trailer door. "If the carnival only knew how hard it is to find someone who can make an Elephant Baloon." As Bennie started ...

11 likes

Christmas Eve Revelations

Submitted to Contest #270

Fred Henderson climbed the stairs to his bedroom slowly. Monica was already in bed. Her excuse is that she hates Ikea projects. So she went to bed at nine-thirty, or thereabouts. Fred didn't mind much as the atmosphere in the living room, with only the lights on the tree and the presents under it, filled his soul with joy. Childhood memories enhanced the ambiance. But now it was almost midnight, and tricking out Joey's road bike was done. So, it was Time to head upstairs and get a good night's sleep. He was thankful that Joey had gotten...

11 likes

The Library Card

Submitted to Contest #251

The Library Card Barry Wilder watched as the Librarian scanned his Reader’s Card to gain access to Duke Humphries Library. Years of genealogical research into the Wilder family culminated in this trip to visit the Domesday book and collection and its list of property owners after William the Conqueror became king. All of his research pointed to his family being substantial landowners under King Edward’s reign.  Genealogy was his addiction. Barry’s only saving grace was his wife, who supported him even when he lost his job due to the a...

9 likes

The Library Card

Submitted to Contest #223

The Library Card Barry Wilder watched as the Librarian scanned his Reader’s Card to gain access to Duke Humphries Library. Years of genealogical research into the Wilder family culminated in this trip to visit the Domesday book and collection and its list of property owners after William the Conqueror became king. All of his research pointed to his family being substantial landowners under King Edward’s reign.  Genealogy was his addiction. Barry’s only saving grace was his wife, who supported him even when he lost his job due to the ...

13 likes

Deja Vu Decision Time

Submitted to Contest #196

Deja-Vu Decision Time By Derek Hastings The first time I experienced the Deja Vu interruption I spent much of my day feeling a particularly persistent restlessness. The kind of restlessness that comes with a profound invasive sense of boredom. Something I have begun to call; the Same-Old, Same-Old disease. I had spent my day like every day before it over the previous same-old, same-old year; wake up, eat, work, eat, sleep, repeat… That day — it was a late summer evening — taking the garbage cans to the street, I saw myself trundling the ...

11 likes

Go Away...

Submitted to Contest #82

The rain came down in sheets causing a deep incoming surf on the street. “Whoever thought that Gore-Tex would keep you dry in a rainstorm that would have impressed Noah, is out of their minds!” Garald thought. The walk from the bus-stop was only – perhaps on a lazy summer afternoon – a hundred yards or so, but today was the length of three football fields. Thankfully, his backpack, holding the curriculum for his classes and the story he started this morning at the coffee shop, was rated for extreme weather. It was a very expensive going away...

10 likes

Gravity

Submitted to Contest #32

GravityBy Derek L. HastingsMy life changed the day I pulled myself into the Library. It was a place I never wanted to visit. Life was a daily grind of launching and landing. The struggle to keep the lack of gravity from dominating my life. Just like everyone else I knew. The struggle was very real. The day began with releasing the belts that held me in my bed so that I could sleep without worrying about floating to the ceiling or out the window and out into space. Then breakfast. Tubes of “Cap’n Crunch” squirted into my hungry mouth, tr...

5 likes